Spring heel construction



April 10, 1951 SPRING HEEL CONSTRUCTION, I

Filed Jan. 6, 1950 IIIIHIIII I I- mm, Ir /4 Fig. 6'.

attorney 0. w. HENSLEY 2,548,308

maentor Patented Apr. 10, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,548,308 SPRING HEEL CON STRUGTION Charles W. Hensley, Council Bluffs, Iowa Application January 6, 1950, Serial No. 137,248

3 Claims.

This invention relates to footwear and more particularly it is an object of this invention to provide a heel of spring construction.

It is well known that shoes having resilient soles are more comfortable to walk in and are much less tiring. 1/

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a shoe heel of spring construction.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a shoe heel of spring construction having a spring of a shape doubled back upon itself, and including means for filling in the openin between the ends of the spring.

A primary object is to provide a spring heel of attractive and marketable appearance and yet which is adapted to cushion any sudden pressure against the feet which is so objectionable in conventional heel construction.

Yet another object is to provide a spring heel having a ground engaging portion joined to the spring by means of dovetail joints.

Yet a further object is to provide a spring heel having a spring of arcuate shape in end elevation.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device for the purpose described which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efiicient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble and utilize.

Other and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a shoe having the heel of this invention.

Figure 2 is a view-in-section taken along the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top portion of the heel.

Figure 4 is a top ber of the heel. I

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the shoe showing how the heel compresses when stepped upon.

Figure 6 is a left-hand elevation of the upper body member shown in Figure 3.

A shoe of conventional type is indicated generally at H] having sole portion I 2. The rearward end of the sole I2 is of arcuate contour.

An upper body or mountin member l4 of the new heel invention is best shown in Figure 3, having an arcuate rearward end complemental to that of the sole portion I2. The upper body portion l4 has a ridge is that extends upwardly along the arcuate rearward end and the adjaplan view of an upper body plan view of a spring memcent parallel sides. The ridge I 6 is preferably formed integral with the upper body portion l4, leaving a hollow recess I! for purposes later described.

The ridge [6 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart apertures l8 for receiving nails 20 therethrough for attaching the upper member l4 to the sole l2 as best seen in Figure 2.

At the forward end of the main body portion I4 is a downwardly extending lug 22 disposed transversely across the width of the heel member 14. The lug 22 is rectangular both in plan and in cross section and is formed integral with the main body portion M.

A U-shape sprin member having upper and lower arms, preferably formed of resilient metal, is now provided having a main body portion 24 of arcuate shape in vertical cross section as best seen in Figure 1. The spring member 24 is provided with a, plurality of longitudinally disposed laterally spaced apart dove-tail projections 25 extendin downwardly therefrom, the projections 25 being wider at their bottom ends.

The main body portion 24 has an end portion 26 formed integral therewith. The end portion 26 extends forwardly across the bottom and is bent upwardly at a right angle adjacent the forward side of the lug 22.

The portion 26 is then folded forwardly and downwardly at an inclination and in parallelism with the adjacent portion of the sole l2, and is then bent rearwardly upon itself forming a lip or mounting flange 28. The upper end portion of the lip 28 is then bent downwardly above the lug 22 and extends rearwardly, terminating in a portion 30 of lesser width and of a shape complemental to the contour of the recess I! of the I upper body member M. The portion 30 is slidably disposed in the recess H.

The lip 28 is secured to the sole l2 by means of keepers 32 driven through apertures 34 in the lip 28.

A heel member or lower body member 4!] is disposed beneath the member 24. The upper surface of the lower member 40 is arcuate in contour at its rearward end and is provided with a plurality of dove-tail channels 42 complemental to the dove-tail projections 25 of the main body portion 24. The forward end of the cushion 40 is provided with a plurality of apertures in alignment with the like apertures 44 of the member 24, for receiving nails 46 therethrough. The nails 4% pass through the lower body member 40, the end portion 25, the lug 22, and the spring portion 30 and become imbedded in the sole l2 locking together the various parts of the heel assembly.

A resilient member 50 is disposed between the upper body member l4 and the main lower portion 24 of the spring member. The resilient member 50 has a top portion 52 complemental in plan to the underside of the upper body portion i l. The top 52 has a downwardly extending wall 54 about its perimeter, the wall being formed integral with the top 52. The resilient member 50 is held in place by a suitable cementitious material on the rearward side of the lug 22 and the bottom surface of the upper body portion I 4.

It will be seen that the essence of the invention resides in the provision of compressible means for filling the opening formed between the ends 24 and 30 of the spring member shown in Figure 4. Another novelty in construction is provided by the provision of the lip 28 having two parts disposed alongside each other in parallelism with nails 32 disposed therethrough.

Yet another novelty resides in the manner in which the portion of the spring member interconnects the ends 24 and 30 is provided with a right angle shaped downward section 26 interconnecting the lip 28 and the lower end 25 of the spring.

The dove-tails 25 form a heel of durable construction, the whole assembly being of marketable appearance and much less tiring to walk upon than conventional heels.

In operation, and as best seen in Figure 5, when pressure is applied to the rearward end of the lower member 40 during walking, the spring portions 24 and 30 are compressed toward each other out of normal position thus cushioning the sudden pressure common in walking on heels of conventional construction.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a spring heel construction constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

I claim:

1. A heel comprising a flat substantially U- shape member of spring material having upper and lower arms connected by a folded-over section providing a mounting flange, the rear ends of said arms being substantially semi-circular shaped in plan and the upper of said arms being of less width than the lower arm, a mounting member having an intermediate recess in the upper surface positioned to receive the upper arm of the U-shape member, and a plate of resilient material positioned against the lower surface of the lower arm and secured to said arm, the upper inner surface of the lower arm of said U-shape member being arcuate in cross section with the high oint thereof positioned on the longitudinal center of the said heel.

2. A heel comprising a flat substantially U shape member of spring material having upper and lower arms connected by a folded-over section providing a mounting flange, the rear ends of said arms being substantially semi-circular shaped in plan and the upper of said arms being of less width than the lower arm, a mounting member having an intermediate recess in the upper surface positioned to receive the upper arm of the U-shape member, a plate of resilient material positioned against the lower surface of the lower arm and secured to said arm, the upper inner surface of the lower arm of said U-shape member being arcuate in cross section with the high point thereof positioned on the longitudinal center of the said heel, and a peripheral wall of resilient material extended around the sides and rear portion of the heel and positioned between the lower surface of the mounting member and arcuate upper surface of the lower arm of the said U -shape member.

3. In a heel for a shoe, the combination which comprises a flat substantially U-shape member of spring material having upper and lower arms with the upper arm having an extension extended beyond the forward end of the heel and the lower arm having an L-shape section coacting with the said extension of the upper arm to provide a mounting flange of double thickness, a mounting member of resilient material having a recess in the upper surface for receiving the upper arm of the U-shape member and having a lug on the forward end extended downwardly to engage the upper surface of the lower arm of the u-shape member, the upper surface of the lower arm of the said U-shape member being arcuate in cross section with the high point thereof on the longitudinal center of the heel and said lower armhaving spaced dove-tail tongues extended clownwardly therefrom, a lower body member of resilient material having a flat lower ground engaging surface positioned against the lower surface of the lower arm of the said U-shape member, and having spaced longitudinally disposed slots positioned to receive the dove-tail tongues of the said lower arm for securing the said body member to the said lower arm, and a wall of resilient material extended around the sides and rear portion of the heel and positioned between the said mounting member and lower arm of the U-shape member.

- CHARLES W. HENSLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

